The Duratec has finally arrive

The Duratec has finally arrive

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MikeE

Original Poster:

1,834 posts

285 months

Saturday 19th June 2004
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The chassis arrived from Caterham on Thursday. I've uploaded some pictures on Webshots here and will keep updating them as I make more progress. The mission for today is to go and chase for progress on the engine




>>> Edited by MikeE on Saturday 19th June 09:16

Incorrigible

13,668 posts

262 months

Monday 21st June 2004
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Very nice, can't wait for mine to turn up (not till October though )

Incorrigible

13,668 posts

262 months

Monday 28th June 2004
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Mike

Good weekend ?? when are the next load of piccies going up

Ben

MikeE

Original Poster:

1,834 posts

285 months

Monday 28th June 2004
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Ben,

As you can see I make great progress in the first week (front suspension, steering, diff, rear suspension and brakes all in 7 days) but this weekend was a lot slower.

The engine is being dynoed and run in tomorrow (so should have the definitive power figures on Thursday - hoping for 230bhp) so I can't progress with engine or gearbox until next weekend. And some of the jobs (like fitting seats) can't be done until the engine/gearbox is in.

So this weekend I tried doing lots of little jobs but it seemed to me that everytime I tried to do something I just discovered another part was missing

Anyway this weekend I managed to:

1. Filled the diff with oil (and broke the breather pipe off the top of the diff )

2. Completed the brakes and handbrake, filled the system with fluid,

3. Which then allowed me to torque the rear hubs and drive shaft bolts (so I could put the wheels on now and push it outside ),

4. Fit the number plate light!

5. Order a bespoke dry sump tank from Brise,

6. Order a special race tonneue (to fit around the SLR cage) from Caterham,

7. Sell my GRP tillets and bought the Kevlar versions from Caterham,

8. Buy some 6 point harness crotch straps.


Caterham are dispatching the missing parts today (rear wing beading, correct boot cover, tonneue cover, centre mirror fixing kit) so I should be able to make progress on some small items this week.

Then the engine/gearbox should arrive on Thursday but I'm off to New Zealand for a week on Friday (work not pleasure )

So progress will resume in a couple of weeks.

cheers
Mike

MikeE

Original Poster:

1,834 posts

285 months

Friday 16th July 2004
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So back from New Zealand, engine arrived on Monday evening and finally got it in the car last night. I've put the wheels on and it now looks more like a car than a bath tub





>> Edited by MikeE on Friday 16th July 18:36

Mark_H

334 posts

257 months

Tuesday 20th July 2004
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MikeE said:
The engine is being dynoed and run in tomorrow (so should have the definitive power figures on Thursday - hoping for 230bhp)


What power figures did the engine achieve?

MikeE

Original Poster:

1,834 posts

285 months

Wednesday 21st July 2004
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Mark,

The engine was run in, however when they went for the power run they discovered the dry sump tank (oil level) was flutuating more than they would expect, so they aborted the power run.

Aparently it's open to debate whether the issue is with the dry sump pan design or the scavenge rotors being too big. Anyway Titan are going to develop a new sump pan design and change the rotor size to cure the problem.

The up shot of this is I've installed the engine with a wet sump system for now. Once the dry sump system is sorted (and tested) Raceline will swap my wet sump for the dry sump system FOC.

I believe Mick A. had two Titan systems on order but has cancelled these on the back of this result. Was one of those systems for your 2.3l?

cheers,
Mike



>> Edited by MikeE on Wednesday 21st July 13:51

MikeE

Original Poster:

1,834 posts

285 months

Wednesday 21st July 2004
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oh and the Mick A. design dry sump tank arrived today, unfortunately the manufacturer must of been having a bad day as they've made it to spec except for the small issue of it being a mirror image of what I needed (the inputs/outputs/breathers are all on the right hand side of the car, for a Duratec they need to be on the left hand side).

But to be fair they were very appologetic and said they'd make me a new one asap.

Mark_H

334 posts

257 months

Wednesday 21st July 2004
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MikeE said:
I believe Mick A. had two Titan systems on order but has cancelled these on the back of this result. Was one of those systems for your 2.3l?


Yes

Incorrigible

13,668 posts

262 months

Thursday 22nd July 2004
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Mike,

Have you got a link to the last lot of piccies, or is it just the few you've posted here

MikeE

Original Poster:

1,834 posts

285 months

Friday 23rd July 2004
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Ben,

You should be able to see them all here:

http://community.webshots.com/user/mikeedgeuk

mechsympathy

52,978 posts

256 months

Friday 23rd July 2004
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Nice trumpets!